Punishment
by FieryHush
Summary: The tale of what could have happened between scenes of the curtain closure and faithful huntsman...


Wow, I haven't written fanfiction in... forever. ^^; Sorry for the basic writing... I... write heavily in that section, and I apologize. I just wondered what happened between when Snow White closed the curtains, never to possibly see her prince again cutting to the Queen and the huntsman. So... here's my take on it? May not be the first time around, may be. Let's just wait and see. Review, please?

Disclaimer: I don't have any intention of owning the property of Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs. The fairy tale rightfully belongs to Brothers Grimm and Walt Disney o'course.

* * *

Punishment

Closing the curtains before her, Snow White longed to see him again. Just once more... Her heart ached at the thought of him leaving. This could finally be the chance that she was dreaming of! No more cleaning or cooking for anyone but herself and the handsome man who stood just outside in the courtyard. The thought to be held and loved again warmed her heart in an instant... Oh, how wonderful it would be felt loved again! Without any time to waste, she burst out onto the balcony and waved a hand, crying, "Wait! Oh, please, wait!" The Prince was spellbound by the sound of her sweet voice. He was about to turn and go and return to his own kingdom, thrilled to tell everyone that he had chosen a bride. The merry smile lifted his lips with his shining teeth. He waited patiently for the lovely little princess to return to the stony courtyard.

Grasping her layers of ripped skirts and with a radiant grin, Snow White dashed down the steps, frantic, like a small child. She was about to reach the last step when she noticed a figure emerging from the dark shadows. With a frightened gasp, Snow White's beam disappeared as she stopped in her tracks. She covered a trembling hand over her crimson lips. The Queen frowned as she came forward, her long thick robes thrumming against the dirty pavement.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" she hissed, glaring at her stepdaughter. "I demanded you to finish scrubbing the courtyard, yet I hear you singing as you work. And just as I look out the window, a prince strolls up and lollygags with you? Who do you think you are, Snow White?"

"Stepmother, please, I-"

The Queen held up a hand, disabling Snow White to speak any further. "Silence. You will either address me as 'Your Highness' or 'Your Majesty'."

"... Your Majesty," said Snow White with a slow nod. Her pale hands began to fidget uneasily.

"That's better," said the Queen, staring at the young girl's wringing hands. "Now then..."

She gave Snow White permission to speak.

"I... We were not lollygagging," said Snow White quietly. "I was washing the staircase like you asked me to, and I love to sing whenever I'm feeling down. As I was delivering the bucket into the well, a man suddenly joined in, startling me! And before I knew it... I immediately fell in love. Oh, he's so handsome! So pleasant and kind as he serenaded me." An idea caught on into her mind. A smile tugged at her lips like a child on Christmas. "Oh my goodness! You could meet him too, if you like! What a splendid idea!"

The maid began to hurry and stroll away, attempting to escape into the arms of her new-found love. But the older woman had other plans. She lashed out a hand and grabbed Snow White's arm before she could walk any further. The princess had a chance to scream out for help, but the Queen quickly slapped a hand over her mouth. The little girl struggled in her stepmother's arms, desiring to break loose of her grasp. But the Queen only held her tighter as they stepped down into the cellar of the cruel castle, where the dungeon waited.

* * *

Forcefully, Snow White was thrown into a cell. The dungeon floor was cold and filthy as soon as she hit it. She lifted her head, her lively brown eyes in a mix of fear and confusion. Her stepmother stood in the doorway of the dark dungeon, a flare from the nearest torch lighting her face. The Queen's grimace darkened nastily as she stared down her poor and defenseless sorry excuse for a daughter.

"I don't understand, Stepmother!" she wailed.

Down came a fierce slap on her pale cheek.

"You most certainly do, Snow White - You do!" screamed the Queen viciously. "You've disobeyed me! You rather be caught up in your foolish and unrealistic daydreaming than attending to your chores. And today has reached its peak." She took a step backwards and picked up a bucket that waited outside the cell. The Queen's green eyes narrowed as she saw her reflection in the cold soap water. "I was saving this for your next assignment tomorrow - cleaning each and every cell. But I'm sure this can be brought to better use."

Snow White crawled into the corner, her fearful eyes upon her stepmother. Ice froze her veins and she felt as though her heart stopped beating. And then she saw nothing but the wave of water coming towards her. Snow White screamed at its touch - the icy water rolling down her freshly soaked body. With a furious frown, the Queen lashed out again and ripped the ribbon from the princess's ebony colored hair. Snow White was then shoved forward into the rotting bones of a horrendous skeleton who was the first to enter the cell many years ago. There was another scream - much louder than the first this time. Then came another and another that erupted from Snow White's shivering throat.

Satisfied, the Queen stood in the doorway of the cell, her arms folded across her chest. "Let this be a lesson to you, Snow White."

The princess, who finally scrambled away from the skeleton and trembled into the corner, looked at her with heartbroken eyes. The Queen wasn't moved by her emotion, but instead of that she felt so pleased with herself.

"A prince like the one above the ground will never fall for a filthy little mongrel like you. Why, look at yourself! You should be ashamed. Clumsily splashing an entire bucket of water all over yourself and colliding into a skeleton? How much of a ditz are you? Stupid girl. Goodness, I'm positive that the prince you tried to convince is now rethinking this entire situation. Marrying a scraggy little maid in the ugliest rags and the most grotesque face in the kingdom? Goodness gracious, no! He surely can do better than the likes of you."

As she turned to leave, her wicked eyes flashed with another delightful idea on the way.

"But perhaps..."

"Perhaps what?" inquired a tearful Snow White. Even after the constant number of mockery and insults, she wondered if her stepmother had any hope and goodness left in her heart after all.

"Perhaps you've found your prince already," said the Queen as she gestured a hand towards the filthy rotting bones. She laughed at the girl's expression before she saw Snow White bury her weeping face into her damp rags.

"Good night. Oh! And pleasant dreams, fair princess..."

The woman of royalty exited the dungeon and sent one more grimace before slamming the dungeon door shut and removing the key from the hole. As she did this, the wailing princess flailed herself against the closing door, tears streaming down her cheeks. She tugged at the knob and shrieked out in pleas.

"No, wait! Please wait-please, you're Majesty!" sobbed Snow White. "I LOVE HIM! I LOVE HIM, PLEASE! PLEASE, TELL ME WHAT I'VE WRONG! OH, PLEASE! ...PLEASE... DON'T DO THIS TO ME, I..."

The shouts and sobs were music to the Queen's ears as she blew each and every torch out from her chilling breaths before leaving the dungeon. Soon everything grew pitch black and quiet. The only sound was the pattering feet of inferior rats and the soft cries from Snow White's cell.

With another choked sob, Snow White sank to the ground and rested her damp face into her cold arm. Why did her stepmother hate her so? Didn't she deserve to be happy as well? She thought that all mothers, even stepmothers like hers, wished for their daughters to be happy. But the Queen was much different. She realized this now. Maybe it was time to give up the beautiful dreams like the Queen had said. Snow White tried to think it over, as hard as she could, but the image of the prince earlier today kept on entering her imagination.

Perhaps... perhaps he was only a figure of her imagination? Perhaps that she made him up in her head, only to find a little optimism in her life? But his voice... himself. He seemed too real. He needed to be real, he just had to. And she wouldn't give up on him. Her wish had been granted at the wishing well, hadn't it? And he appeared, ever so gentle and true. He didn't run away - but she did.

Putting the pieces together in the darkness, Snow White said to herself quietly, "I was afraid and disappeared from him because of the way I looked. But he fell in love with me anyway; he looked beyond past these rags that I wear. But what if he saw me now?"

A shudder escaped her throat as she felt fresh new tears roll down her cheeks.

She was down in the deepest and lowest area of the castle, alone in the dark along with a skeleton and shivering wet. She parted her hair away from her face, but it was no use. It just fell back into place.

Snow White whimpered and allowed her knees to close into her chest and bury her pale face into the rags, crying herself to sleep.


End file.
